| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: Politix |
| Cowardly Congress gives in to evil |
| 2007-02-18 |
| By Ralph Peters Providing aid and comfort to the enemy in wartime is treason. It's not "just politics." It's treason. And signaling our enemies that Congress wants them to win isn't "supporting our troops." The "nonbinding resolution" telling the world that we intend to surrender to terrorism and abandon Iraq may be the most disgraceful congressional action since the Democratic Party united to defend slavery. The vote was a huge morale booster for al Qaeda, for Iraq's Sunni insurgents, and for the worst of the Shia militias. The message Congress just sent to them all was, "Hold on, we'll stop the surge, we're going to leave - and you can slaughter the innocent with our blessing." We've reached a low point in the history of our government when a substantial number of legislators would welcome an American defeat in Iraq for domestic political advantage. Yes, some members voted their conscience. But does anyone believe they were in the majority? This troop surge might not work. We can't know yet. But we can be damned sure that the shameful action taken on the Hill while our troops are fighting isn't going to help. And a word about those troops: It's going to come as a shock to the massive egos in Congress, but this resolution won't hurt morale - for the simple reason that our men and women in uniform have such low expectations of our politicians that they'll shrug this off as business as usual. This resolution has teeth, though: It's going to bite our combat commanders. By undermining their credibility and shaking the trust of their Iraqi counterparts, it makes it far tougher to build the alliances that might give Iraq a chance. If you were an Iraqi, would you be willing to trust Americans and risk your life after the United States Congress voted to abandon you? Now that Donald Rumsfeld's gone, the Democrats are doing just what they pilloried the former Secretary of Defense for doing: Denying battlefield commanders the troops and resources they need. Congresswoman Pelosi, have you no shame? As a former soldier who still spends a good bit of time with those in uniform, what infuriates me personally is the Doublespeak, Stalin-Prize lie that undercutting our troops and encouraging our enemies is really a way to "support our troops." As for bringing them home, why not respect the vote the troops themselves are taking: Sustained re-enlistment rates have been at a record high. And our soldiers and Marines know they'll go back to Iraq or Afghanistan. And no, Senator Kerry, it's not because they're too stupid to get a "real" job like yours or because they're "mercenaries." Some Americans still believe in America. If our troops are willing to fight this bitter war, how dare Congress knife them in the back? On Thursday night, I was in Nashville as a guest of the 506th Regimental Combat Team - with whom I'd spent all too brief a time in Baghdad. The occasion was their welcome-home ball, complete with dress uniforms spangled with awards for bravery. Proud spouses sat beside their returned warriors. Of course, those soldiers were glad to be home with their loved ones. But they also know they'll go back to one theater of war or another - and no one complained. They share a value that Congress has forgotten: duty. They're willing to bear the weight of the world on their shoulders. Because they know that freedom has a price. As you entered the ballroom for the event, the first thing you saw was a line of 34 photographs. A single white candle softly lit each frame. Those were the members of the 506th who didn't come home. Soldiers honor their dead. It's the least Congress could do to honor the living men and women in uniform. You don't support our troops by supporting our enemies. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #6 HHHHMMMMM, HHHHHHHMMMM, America = Amerika, the USSA = SSR/USR, can't be under OWG unless we are first ashamed, humiliated, degraded defeated andor destroyed, brought to you by personages whom love Totalitarian Socialism- Govt-ism so much they [most of them] don't wanna move to the USSR-Red China-Commie Bloc/Third World. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2007-02-18 22:36 |
| #5 nice job by Ralph Peters (I haven't always supported him), in a major NY paper, to escalate the debate to where it belongs: motives, consequences |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-02-18 16:49 |
| #4 When you stop asking permission, Army dear. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-02-18 15:50 |
| #3 When can we eat the deer? |
| Posted by: Army of Lions 2007-02-18 11:16 |
| #2 It can be pointed out that the democrats great "victory" is like a wicked small girl, Pelosi, who is not allowed at the "big peoples' party", who runs up to an adult, slaps them on a leg and says "You're IT!", before running away laughing and giggling. For their part the adults just stand there and look at her. She accomplishes nothing with her Parthian shot any more substantial than sticking out her tongue and going "Nyah!" |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-02-18 09:24 |
| #1 To quote another - "An army of deer led by a lion is more to be feared that an army of lions led by a deer" |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-02-18 08:55 |